The Shadow Mage
by fireflye97
Summary: A new member has joined Fairy Tail. She's a bit on the odd side, but what's so bad about that? Especially when another odd mage of the guild is interested in her. Very interested... Rated T for language and some suggestive material. May be rated "M" in later chapters for sexual themes. DON'T LIKE DON'T READ.
1. Chapter 1

**Mwahahaha! I am back with a new story! I just finished episode 175 of Fairy Tail, and that's where it ended for me. (I use Animetube and that's about how far they're updated. You can find the app on the Window's Store! It's free too!) Anyway, the first character I fell in love with was Gray, and then Bickslow, and then Lyon (Or Leon, however you say his dang name. x.x). I decided to do a Bickslow and OC because Bickslow is hilarious to me! I especially like how he keeps picking on Evergreen about Elfman. Also, I want to get a Tumblr account, but I don't know if I should. Please tell me if you think I should do in the reviews! I also don't know what a Tumblr is so….**

**Ahem, anyway, enjoy the story peeps!**

It was a rainy day in Magnolia (A/N: Juvia must be in town again. LOL sorry had to put that.), nobody was outside, but as usual, the guild hall for the mages guild, Fairy Tail, was bursting with energy. Natsu and Gray were yet again in another argument, with Gajeel joining in shortly after, and Juvia admiring Gray in a stalkerish way. Lucy was talking to Levy, and Wendy was having a nice chat with Erza. Soon, the Guildmaster, Makarov, spoke. "May I have your attention!" He announced. When nobody did anything, and continued their loud conversations and conflicts, he stood up on the counter, and yelled. "SHUT UP YOU IDIOTS!" At that, everyone silenced themselves and sat down, staring at the Guildmaster. "There, that's better." He cleared his throat. "I gathered your attention, to let you all know that a new member will be joining us today." At this, the room began to buzz with interest, as others murmured to each other, wondering who the newcomer was. "She will be arriving shortly." Makarov continued. "And please be kind to her, she's rather…unique." Locksus, who was hanging out in the corner of the guild hall with the Thunder Legion, rose a brow. "Unique? How?" he asked. The rest of the Thunder Legion perked up as well, especially Bickslow. The term "unique" always perked his interest, just look at him! He was a very different person, and so were his abilities. Makarov chuckled. "I would tell you, but I think that should be something for all of you to find out for yourselves." Locksus grunted and looked away, while everyone else began to chatter with excitement. "Alright! I'm all fired up! When she comes, I want to challenge her to a fight!" Natsu yelled. Gray smacked him on the back of the head. "Geeze, whenever a new member comes to the Guild, you always want to fight them before they even settle in." Gray muttered. "Unlike me, I'd rather wait a few days or so." Miraculously, his clothes disappeared, leaving him in his boxers and chain. "Gray, your clothes…" Cana slurred. He looked down yelling an "Oh crap!" and muttering to himself. Lucy jumped up and down. "Wow, I think I'm much more excited to see what type of magic they use!" She said. Erza nodded. "It's always exciting to meet a wizard with a type of magic we've never actually seen before." She said. As the guild continued to chatter, Juvia was at the door. "I think she's here!" she announced. Immediately, the doors to the guild burst open and a silhouette stood in the doorway. The guild went silent as the new member walked in. Just like Makarov had said, the new member was indeed a girl. She wore a large black witch's hat that was all twisted at the tip. Her hair could be seen poking out from under it, which was short, spikey and black, with orange dyed tips. She wore an orange shirt, with a black skirt, which was spikey at the bottom of it. Underneath it, she wore black and orange stockings with black heeled boots. Her eyes were a bright green hue, and her fingernails were painted black. She walked into the guild with a smirk, stopping before Makarov and doing a short bow. "Thank you for allowing me into this guild Master Makarov." She said kindly standing back up again. "You're quite welcome my dear, would you mind introducing yourself to the rest of the guild." She perked up. "Oh yes, I'm sorry I forgot." She said quickly, then turned around. "My name is Fireflye, it's nice to meet you all!" She beamed. The guild immediately burst into cheers and welcomes. Mirajane walked up to her with the guild mark stamp. "Where would you like your mark?" she asked. Fireflye smiled. "Here please." She pointed to the left side of her neck. Mirajane nodded and put the stamp on her neck. The mark was black. "Welcome to the family! I'd be happy to show you around if you'd like!" she said. Fireflye nodded. "That'd be great, thank you!" As the girls walked off, Bickslow stared at the new girl. "Whoa…" he said, a small blush rising to his cheeks. Free looked at him. "Is everything alright Bickslow?" he asked. Bickslow nodded. "Totally!" he said, giving his usual grin with his tongue sticking out. "Everything is just fine!"

It was a while, but Fireflye and Mirajane were back in the main hall. Natsu immediately stood in front of her. "Alright Fireflye!" he did a fist pump. "I want to challenge you to a duel!" he yelled. "I want to see your magic power, and just how strong you are!" Fireflye chuckled. "Alright, lead the way. I am new here after all." As they were walking off, other's followed to see the fight.

"Wow I've got to see this!"

"I really want to know what she can do!"

Natsu led her to the back of the Guild. "Alright, we'll start here!" he declared. Fireflye nodded and stood there, closing her eyes. She seemed to be concentrating, before she opened them up again, and smirked at him. "Ladies first." She said. The guild "oooh'd" at that statement, and Natsu flung himself at her with a punch. However, she disappeared. He blinked and looked around. "Huh? Where'd she go!?" he demanded, looking all around him. The audience was just as baffled as he was. Natsu stood there for a bit longer, before he gasped. An invisible force grabbed the collar of his vest, and began to drag him against the ground. "Heeeeeyyy! What's going on!" he began to thrash a bit as he was being dragged. A mischievous chuckle sounded around him, and the invisible force threw him against the wall. A black hole then formed in the ground, and Fireflye appeared from it. "Figure out what my magic is yet?" she asked, then smirked. She stood straight, and a magic circle appeared around her, the color black. "Clones of Shadow!" she yelled, and two more magic circles appeared, one on each side of her. Two shadowy silhouettes emerged from them, taking shape, and looking exactly like Fireflye! She smirked, and so did the clones, and they rushed at Natsu. He took one both out with his Fire Dragon Roar attack, but Fireflye leaped into the air. "Claws of Shadow!" she cried out again. Black magic circles appeared around her hands, and her hands turned black, the fingers growing long and sharp. She landed and ran at Natsu, slashing at him as she went. He dodged most of them, but what he didn't know was that he was fighting an illusion. Fireflye appeared behind him from his shadow, and swiped him from the back, while his clone swiped at him from the front, going back and forth. Finally they went to his side and another magic circle appeared on their hands. "Shadow Sea!" They both yelled, and punched him. When they did however, instead of a punch, a large column of shadow hit him instead. Natsu fell to the ground, with just a few scratches on him, and shortly stood up. "Wow! That was amazing! So you're a shadow mage?!" he asked. Fireflye nodded. "Yep!" She said cheerfully. The audience started talking excitedly about the new member. Fireflye was just about to leave when she heard a voice call her. "Hey, wait Fireflye!" She turned to see another member running up to her. "I'm Bickslow. I would like to fight you. You seem to have wicked strength!" he said. Fireflye smiled. "I guess I have enough energy for another round." She said cheerfully. Bickslow did a fist pump. "Alright, this is going to be sweet!" His little totems floated around him. "Be sweet, be sweet!" they chanted. The two mages went back to their little arena, to begin their next fight.


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright! It seems our dear friend Bickslow has gotten smitten with Fireflye! Let's see how their battle goes…**

Bickslow grinned crazily at Fireflye, his dolls hovering around him, almost in a half circle. "Ladies first." He taunted, just like she had done with Natsu. Fireflye smirked. "Gladly." Her eye's glowed a little and she charged him. Black magic circles yet again appeared around her hands. "Claws of Shadow!" she commanded, and her hands resumed the black claw shapes. Bickslow dodged her slashes with ease, but he began to notice that her attacks sped up over time, like an illusion. He quickly put his arms in an x shape over his chest. "X Formation!" he yelled. Immediately, his totems came in front of him in an x shape, then pushed Fireflye away with great force. The Shadow Mage went flying, but regained her ground by doing a flip mid-air and landing on the ground in a crouching position, one arm up to keep balance. Bickslow took the chance, and called out another spell. "Line Formation!" Obediently, the totems stacked up on one another, and a beam of mint green magic came out of them, aiming straight at Fireflye with great speed. Fireflye quickly disappeared into a shadow. When the beam had hit the wall, and Fireflye was nowhere to be seen, Bickslow began to look around. "I don't get it…where does she go?" he said. Then something clicked in his head. She was a Shadow Mage. He looked down. There she was, skittering across the ground in a flat shadowy form. She darted for his shadow. "Oh crap!" he yelled as he began to run, but his shadow trailed behind him, and Fireflye was close behind. Soon, she had grabbed his shadow, and began to drag him, gaining power and friction to throw him to a nearby wall. _She's really fast! _He thought. He then noticed that his totems were still floating in the air. Commanding them again, he pointed to Fireflye. "Line Formation!" he yelled. They did as he told, stacking up again once more, and shooting the beam of magic at her. The spell hit her, and she let out shriek, letting go of Bickslow's shadow. He stood up quickly as she began to retreat somewhere. "That's right, you can't defeat me or my babies unless you're somehow able to beat both of us at once!" He said, sticking his tongue out yet again. A soft chuckle was his reply, and suddenly, the sounds of his "babies" crying out echoed above him. He looked up to see two large black and orange snakes encircling them. The snakes were consuming them, and crushing them inside their mouths. "What the-what magic is this?!" Bickslow demanded. Fireflye then materialized in front of him, her back to him, but her body turned so the side of her face was facing him. She had one hand on her hat, pulling it down slightly. "Familiar Magic." She replied, and two more snakes encircled around her. She then began to sing softly. "_I can be nice…but don't test me…I can get wicked!" _

At her sudden outburst of the last word, the snakes flew at Bickslow. He leaped back, and the rest of his totems flew after him. He made no move with them however, and instead stared at the snakes coming after him. The snakes suddenly stopped, and writhed a bit, and Bickslow raised two fingers, then swiped downward. "Crush!" he commanded. An eerie green light went over them, and the snakes exploded from the inside. "Yes!" he said, but didn't notice the snakes coming from behind him. One of them let out a hiss, and that's when he turned and just barely dodged them. While in mid-air, he turned and concentrated on Fireflye. "Baryon Formation!" he commanded. The totems circled around Fireflye, and she tried to run away, but the totems still stayed around her. Bickslow's hand glowed with the teal magic circle that appeared on it, and the totems were embraced with a magic that looked somewhat like electricity. Then, the magic concentrated on Fireflye, and she let out a yelp when it hit her, smoke was flying everywhere. Bickslow landed, watching the area where Fireflye was. "Oh man, did I go too rough on her…?" he groaned. A chuckle resounded as the smoke cleared. "No, that was actually a lot of fun!" The smoke cleared, and there stood Fireflye. She had a few scratches on her, but nothing too serious. "I haven't been beaten in a long time. I enjoyed this match!" she said with a smile. Bickslow smiled as well, then laughed. Fireflye laughed as well, before Makarov appeared before her. "That magic Fireflye… what did you say it was?" Fireflye smiled. "I know Shadow Magic like the back of my hand. It actually is connected to Familiar Magic." Bickslow crossed his arms. "Yeah, what is that anyway?" he asked. Fireflye chuckled. "It's very similar to your Human Possession Magic. Think of it as its sister." She explained. "Familiar magic allows my spirits that I summon to take an animal's form, based on my spirit itself. In this case," she summoned two familiars. "Mine are snakes." Bickslow smiled excitedly. "That's just so awesome!" he said. One of the snakes, rubbed his head against her face. "Thanks, and they're really just a bunch of sweethearts outside of battle." Makarov nodded. "Fireflye, Familiar Magic is very old, and not many know it. So may I ask, who taught you?" Fireflye smiled a little sadly. "If it's ok to say, Master Makarov, I'd like to just keep it at a very good friend." She said. Makarov nodded and walked away. Fireflye sighed. "Well, now that that's over with, I think I'm going to explore the town a bit." She said, turning away. Laxus smirked. "That battle wasn't too bad." He began to walk away with Freed and Evergreen, when he noticed that Bickslow wasn't following. He turned and rose a brow. "Bickslow, you coming?" he asked. Bickslow stared at Fireflye. "Nah, I was thinking I was gonna show Fireflye around the town." He said, running up beside Fireflye. "That'd be great! Thank you!" she said cheerfully. Evergreen chuckled as she saw the two walk off. "What's got you so cheerful all of a sudden?" Laxus asked.

"Now I can get back at him for picking on me and Elfman."

**If any of you recognized the song lyric I placed in there, it's from Thousand Foot Krutch! It's their very first lyric in the song "Get Wicked." Just thought I'd throw that out there. Oh and the term "Familiar Magic," I made that up. I love the concept of familiars in magic, so I thought I'd add that in there. I also had to go to the Fairy Tail Wikia page to figure out what spells Bickslow could use. I think it came out well. Review please, and you shall be loved! 3**


	3. Chapter 3

**Bickslow is so awesome, I just thought I'd throw that out there. Anyway, ENJOY THE STORY PEEPS!**

Bickslow casually walked beside Fireflye, pointing out different things in the city and such. Fireflye seemed keen enough to keep it all together, surprisingly. In truth, Bickslow had decided to join her so that way he could know more about her. "So, where are you from?" he asked. Fireflye smiled at him. "A very small, dirt-poor village, far away from here." Bickslow chuckled. "Well, when you put it that way, I wouldn't want to stay there either." Fireflye smiled, and jumped onto one of the brick walls, balancing on it. "It was home, and I had nowhere else to go, until now." She sighed. "And I like it much better here!" Bickslow smiled. "Well, I hope you stay!" She jumped down from the wall and spun on her heel, turning to face him. "Trust me, I'm sure I will." They continued their walk for a while in silence, before Bickslow spoke again. "So, when are you going to be taking on missions?" he asked. The shadow mage shrugged. "I was hoping tomorrow." Bickslow once again smiled, his tongue hanging out. "Then, do ya think we can go on a mission together?" Fireflye blinked. "Together?" she asked.

"Yeah! It's always good to have back up!"

"Hm…"

She thought for a moment, before she smiled. "I've never had a partner or teammate before, so I guess it's worth a try!" she finished. Bickslow did a fist pump. "Alright!" His little soul totems suddenly appeared around him. "Alright, alright!" they chanted. Fireflye giggled at them, and her own snakes appeared, wrapping around her arms. _I have a feeling that I will most definitely belong here._

The sun was setting quickly, and the duo decided to head back. "So, are you staying at one of the guild rooms or at your own place like Lucy?" Bickslow asked. Fireflye shook her head and looked down embarrassingly. "I don't really know…" She continued after seeing his confused look. "I spent all the money I saved up just trying to get here. So I have no money to even rent a place." She explained. Bickslow's jaw dropped open, his tongue hanging out again. "You don't have a place to stay!?" he demanded loudly. She nodded and rubbed the back of her head, giving an awkward smile. He stood up, one hand going to his hip and the other going to his chin, thinking deeply. Suddenly, a smile crossed his face. "I know." He leapt in front of her. "Why don't you stay at my place?" Fireflye backed up. "What?!" she squeaked. Bickslow stared at her confused yet again, until his face turned tomato red. "No not like that! I mean, as friends! I'm not that kind of person!" He said, backing up. Fireflye couldn't help but laugh at the expression on his face. She bubbled with so much laughter that she nearly fell to the ground. Bickslow started stuttering for words, before Fireflye spoke again. "Ok, I'll take you up on your offer." He stared at her. "R-Really?" he asked. Fireflye nodded and he cheered, before rubbing the back of his head again. "I'm sorry if I made that a little awkward…" he muttered. Fireflye giggled again. "No it's fine, we all make mistakes." Bickslow smiled at her. "Well it's getting late anyway, I'll show you the way!" he said. Fireflye walked beside him, allowing him to lead her to his home.

**I'm so sorry this is short, but I ran out of ideas to fit into this chapter. The next one will be much longer, I PROMISE! And it'll get good too! I might even add an M-rated chapter… -mischievous chuckle- See you soon peeps!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Ok like I said, this one will be much, much, much longer! I PROMISE PEEPS! I PROMISE! Anyway, I forgot to add a disclaimer: I DON'T OWN FAIRY TAIL OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS EXCEPT FIREFLYE!**

It wasn't long until the duo arrived at Bickslow's home. It was very large, and not too far away from the Guild Hall. He opened the door and let her in first. When she walked in, she took a deep breath. She loved the smell of the place, it smelt like…him. It was fairly clean, unlike what most boy rooms would look like. "I'll show you to your room. Follow me." He said. Fireflye followed obediently. He showed her to a nice spare room. It had a bed, dresser, desk, and closet, perfect for a guest. She smiled at him. "Thank you very much Bickslow." She thanked him. Bickslow blushed again. "Don't uh, don't worry about it!" he said, rubbing his nose a bit. "Well uh, I'll see you later then!" He quickly rushed out of the room, leaving her be. Fireflye smiled once he left. _He's a little odd, but I suppose he's safe._ She thought with a chuckle. Fireflye then stretched, and opened a small bag that had carried with her. Opening it, she pulled out a black camisole, and black sweatpants. Taking off her hat and other articles, folding them neatly and putting them on a chair, she changed into her pajamas, so to say. Afterwards, she climbed into her bed and turned off the light. She loved the smell of the sheets. They smelled clean, and something she couldn't place, but she knew it was familiar. All in all, they smelled like Bickslow. She sighed and fell into a peaceful sleep.

Bickslow flopped onto his bed, one arm behind his head, and the other across his waist. His helmet was off, as was his shirt, and he was in his own black sweatpants. "Dang…" he murmured, his eye's staring off into space dreamily. "She's hot…" he murmured, closing his eyes and falling off into a peaceful sleep.

The next morning, Bickslow woke up before Fireflye. He got into his regular clothes, and began cleaning up a bit. _I'll let her choose the mission, but I really hope she chooses a high paying, and a tough one! _He thought excitedly. In fact, he really didn't care what she choose, as long as he got to be with her. He was thrilled that they got a new member in the guild, but what was even great was that she appeared much wackier than him when she felt like it. When he was done, he went down to the living room to wait for her. It wasn't long until she came down herself, in her regular clothes as well. "Morning." She greeted cheerfully, her normal smile on her face. "Morning." He greeted back. "Ready for your first mission as a guild member?" Fireflye nodded excitedly. "Yeah, I'm excited on what you guys have to offer." Bickslow smiled. "Well, we won't know until we get there!" he moved to his door. "Let's go ahead and go!" Fireflye smiled, as he opened the door. They both began to walk quickly down the street toward the guild hall.

When they arrived at the guild hall, they were greeted with smiled and such. Bickslow showed Fireflye the job board, and the two pondered at what they should do. "So what did you want to do first Fireflye?" Bickslow asked. "Well…" Fireflye murmured, looking at him for a moment. "I want to do a high paying job, but not something too tough." She concluded. Bickslow nodded and turned back to the board. He found one that seemed to fit in Fireflye's limits. "Hey what about this one?" he pointed to it. Fireflye looked at it. It was a man who needed a bodyguard or bodyguards to protect him while he went on a trip to a different city that was a bit far away. He was willing to pay $150,000 jewels for it too! Her eye's brightened. _That guy must be really rich and snobby, throwing money around like that. _She thought. "Yeah sure, I think this would be good." She confirmed. Bickslow did a fist pump. "Alright!" he cheered. As the two began to walk out after seeing Mirajane about the contact, Evergreen called to Bickslow. "Have fun on your little trip with our new girl, Bickslow~!" she called. Bickslow smirked and looked toward Evergreen. "Have fun with _Elfman, _Evergreen!" he called back, earning an enraged yell from the other member, which he responded with a triumphant smile. "Man I'm never letting that go." Fireflye smiled. "Sounds like fun." She chuckled. The two began their little trip to the contacts home. Bickslow had packed a very large knapsack, while Fireflye just took her small bag with a few spare clothes in it. "So, did you travel through here on the way to the guild hall?" Bickslow asked, making comfortable small talk. "No." Fireflye replied. "The village I came from was surrounded by a swamp. I came from the south." Bickslow nodded. He hadn't been to the southern regions of Earth-Land, but he had also heard that those areas weren't all that great, in economy and other standards. They walked a little longer, until they came to a fantastic gate, with a couple of guards standing outside. "State your business." One said. Bickslow answered. "We're here for the job opportunity from Fairy Tail." One guard nodded and opened the gate, while the other beckoned them to follow. "I'll lead you to Lord Maximillian." The Fairy Tail mages followed the guard down the path, which led them to a large mansion. It was cloud white, complete with columns in the front, and two hedge gardens on the side. Twelve windows donned the front of the house, six on each side. There was a small balcony in the center of the mansion. Fireflye's jaw nearly dropped in wonder at the place. _If the thieves' guild at home saw this, it'd be candyland to them…_ She thought, remembering the wacky teenagers and younger kids who'd made a guild of thieves to survive. As they were led in, the guard continued leading them to a fairly large parlor, where a stout, and slightly chubby man sat in one of the couches. "Lord Maximillian, the mages from Fairy Tail are here." He said. Maximillian nodded, and dismissed the guard, while also gesturing for Bickslow and Fireflye to sit, which they did. "Very nice to meet you. As you know, I am Lord Maximillian. May I know your names?" he asked kindly. Bickslow nodded. "I'm Bickslow." Fireflye greeted herself as well. "And I'm Fireflye. It's an honor to meet you." Maximillian stared at Fireflye. "You can't possibly be a mage. You're a very beautiful girl, and like all beautiful girls, is delicate like a flower." He said, walking over to her. Fireflye bit back a sharp retort, one that balanced between a "bite me" and something not so subtle. He grabbed her hand, and kissed it, making her stiffen. Bickslow immediately moved forward. "I'm sorry." He said, with a slight edge to his voice, grabbing his wrist, and squeezing it with such vice that it caused Maximillian to wheeze. "She doesn't like to be touched. And she's more capable in a fight then you are, I'm sure." He let go of Maximillian's hand, and sat down, closer to Fireflye, just in case he decided to make a move again. Maximillian coughed and sat down opposite of them. "Right, onto business…." He began. Fireflye thanked Bickslow silently, throwing a soft smile towards him, in which he returned a smile as well. Her attention then turned back to the contact. _If I have to guard this guy… I'd better finish this soon…._

**Oooohh! It looks like Bickslow is getting protective of Fireflye. THAT'S GOOD! EEEEEE! –squeals like a fangirl- Until next chapter Peeps!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Finally, some action in this dang story. And Fireflye will start to piece things together…. Do enjoy, Peeps!**

The journey was simple: getting from point A, to point B. They would leave in the morning to go to the contacts destination, which if everything went to plan, took only two days. Bickslow and Fireflye would only have to protect him for two days. The route that they were taking was a known shortcut, but said to be the route where bandits prowled. Maximillian was kind enough to offer rooms for the two mages, which they accepted. When it was time to turn in for the night however, Bickslow gently grabbed Fireflye's hand. "I hope this doesn't disturb you, but you're staying with me tonight." At her shocked response, he added with a chuckle. "I don't want that creepy sneaking into your room. Not after what he just did in the parlor." Fireflye chuckled. "Don't like him, do we? Then that makes two of us." They both chuckled as they arrived in Bickslow's room. Like always, he opened the door for her, and she teleported her things to the room. "If you want you can take the bed, and I can take the couch." He said kindly. Fireflye nodded. "Thank you. I hope it isn't like this on any mission. I don't want to be a burden…" Bickslow waved his hands around. "No, you're not a burden! I like having you stay with me…" He added, blushing a little and rubbing the back of his head. She giggled. "Really?" He nodded, adding a small smile. "Oh and I have a connecting bathroom, so you can change in there if you want." Fireflye nodded. "I'll be changing then." He quickly ran in front of her. "Wait!" he said.

"What?"

"I'll be changing out here, so please announce when you're coming out!"

"Um…"

Bickslow stared at her when she busted into laughter. "Oh dear, now I can't get the scene out of my head!" another bubble of laughter arose and she clutched her stomach from laughing so hard. Others would have seen her laughter as loud and annoying, but Bickslow thought it was hot. In fact, it made him blush hearing her laugh. "Alright, alright…" she cleared her throat, calming down. "I'll announce." She then walked into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. Bickslow sighed and began to change, taking his helmet off. When he was finished, in nothing but sweatpants and a loose shirt. He looked in the mirror by the desk frowning a little. He had just realized that she had never seen him with his helmet off, and wondered what she would think of it. Thinking the worst, he quickly tried to put his helmet back on, but it kept getting stuck. "I'm coming out." Fireflye announced, unlocking the door. "O-Okay!" he said quickly. She came out wearing a black shirt and black sweatpants, and tilted her head at the sight of his helmet still on his head. "Are you trying to put it on, or take it off?" She chuckled. Bickslow lowered his head. "Put it on…I just, I didn't want you to see my face because I didn't know if you'd like it…" he added lamely. She laughed and moved closer, so she was right in front of him. "Well, you won't really know unless I see." She outstretched her hands a little. "May I?" Bickslow stared at her, before nodding and leaning down so that way she could pull off the helmet. She gently pulled it off, and held it while she looked at him. "Wow…" she murmured. Putting the helmet to the side, she reached up and touched the tattoo on his face. He stiffened and a blush rose to his face, before he smiled and relaxed. So? She saw a blush on his face. He didn't care, he loved how she began to trace the tattoo on his face. He frowned when she moved her hand. "Nothing to worry about." She said with a cheerful smile. "I like how you look. Love it actually." A little bomb went off inside Bickslow's head. _She loves the way I look! _He echoed in his head, the blush seeming to get a bit deeper in his cheeks. She chuckled at the dreamy look on his face. She thought it was cute. "Well, I guess it's time to turn in for the night. Good night Bickslow." She said softly, walking over to the bed. "Huh? Oh yeah, good night!" he said, crawling on the couch. Both of them fell asleep peacefully.

Near midnight, Fireflye started to have a nightmare, and it was a bad one. She was kicking her legs, as if trying to kick someone away, and her face was twisted in pain as she clenched the sheets in her fingers. Her teeth gritted together as she let out a groan. "No…" she groaned, burying her face in the pillow. "No go away…" she said again. Bickslow, being a light sleeper on missions, heard her soft cry's in the night. He stood up and walked over, sitting on the bed beside her. "Fireflye…? Hey Fireflye…" he said, gently shaking her. "Fireflye, wake up." He said. She continued to groan a bit more, and it took a few more shakes and encouragement for her to wake. She gasped, her green eye's opening as she bolted upright, nearly hitting Bickslow in the face. Cold sweat was dripping down her face slightly, as she breathed heavily. She looked around, her eyes in a panic. Bickslow spoke calmly to her. "It alright Fireflye, we're staying at the contacts house before we do the mission." At his voice, she whirled around, but seeing him made her breathing slow down. "Oh I'm sorry Bickslow, I didn't hit you did I?" she asked. Bickslow chuckled and shook his head. "No, but you worried me though." He stared at her softly. "What were you dreaming about?" Fireflye looked down, a bit of disgust crossed her face but it instantly disappeared. "Nothing. Just a stupid nightmare." She replied, lying back down on the bed. "Sorry for waking you." He shook his head. "Don't worry about it." She smiled and rolled onto her side, trying to fall back asleep. Bickslow stared at her for a minute. There was no way her dream was just a stupid nightmare, it seemed more than that. A thought suddenly crossed his mind, just to help her sleep better. He hoped he didn't slapped or magicked for it later, for he only saw it done in movies. He lifted up the sheets and settled right next to her, wrapping one arm around her waist and pulling her closer. He was amazed at how perfect she fit with him. "What are you doing?" Fireflye mumbled. Bickslow blushed. "Helping you sleep?" he said with a shaking smile. He expected her to sit up and smack him into oblivion, or worse, but instead she grunted and rolled over, facing him and pressing closer to him. He blushed again, but held her close. He closed his eye's nuzzling her hair. "I'll protect you from anything…" he murmured. Unfortunately, she didn't hear him.

**Ha! April fool's! There was no action in this chapter! You fell for it, you fell for it! Don't worry though, it should start in the next chapter. Enjoy reading the rest of this story peeps!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Alright for reals this time, there will be some action, and of course, Bickslow and Fireflye coming closer together. Enjoy Peeps!**

Fireflye awoke with a small stretch and wiggled around a bit. She felt something warm wrapped around her. When she opened her eyes, she found Bickslow's chest in front of her. He had his arms around her protectively, while his head rested on her's. He pulled her closer as he stretched as well, his muscles quivering. When he relaxed again, he saw that she was awake. "Morning, did you sleep well?" he asked, with his usual smile. Fireflye nodded. "Yeah much better thank you." She had a light blush to her face, and Bickslow looked at her with curiosity, before blushing hard. "I'm so sorry if you took this the wrong way! I didn't mean anything by it I-"he was cut off by her laughter. "Don't worry about it. It's sweet of you to do this." She said. Bickslow blushed, but not as bad as before. "R-Really? So you're…not mad or anything?" he asked. She nodded and he grinned widely. "Alright!" She laughed at his goofy if not wacky expression. The two got up, Fireflye of course, changing in the bathroom. When the two were finished, they met their contact outside. He was taking the trip through carriage, while Bickslow and Fireflye had to walk. A few guards came with them on horseback. However, before they left, Maximillian walked up to Fireflye, grabbing her hand. "Are you sure you don't want to stay in the carriage for a little while? The trip is long for such a girl…" he cooed. Before Bickslow could stomp on over, Maximillian let go of her hand with a yelp, looking behind him. "Believe me, Maximillian," Fireflye said, a smile plastered on her face, but it was poisonous, much like a snake, as was her voice. "You'd be much safer inside the carriage." He paled and moved away, quickly getting into the carriage. "O-O-Onward!" he called weakly, and the party began to move. "Damn Fireflye." Bickslow came up from behind her. "You can be scary sometimes." He chuckled, sticking his tongue out. She smiled at him, giving a wicked grin. "I have to be in this case." She said, before laughing and walking off. She summoned two snakes by her side. "Alright you two. Can you keep a good distance perimeter around us? If you see anyone that would be considered a threat on this trip, let us know please." The snakes hissed and flew off. Bickslow took one side of the carriage while Fireflye took the other. While they were walking, Bickslow looked up at the carriage. He wanted to punch Maximillian so bad, or at least teach him a lesson. He was a complete pig, and one of the filthy kinds too. It disgusted him, and he made a silent promise that the next time Maximillian made a move on Fireflye, that he may decide not to hold back.

The trip on the first day was uneventful. The snakes had seen nothing, and as it turned out, the area on the route that was supposedly infested by bandits was going to be hit the next day. The party camped out in a spot in the forest. A campfire was prepared, as was food and such. Bickslow sat down at the edge of their little camp, keeping watch. Fireflye appeared right next to him, carrying two bowls of food. "Here, I got some for you." She said. He smiled at her, his tongue sticking out. "You're awesome, you know that?" He said, taking the bowl from her. "Thanks." She said cheerfully, plopping down on the ground right next to him. "If you want, I can take the night watch." Bickslow stared at her, swallowing a spoonful of food that he had eaten. "Are you sure?" Fireflye nodded. "Yeah, nighttime is my specialty."

"How so?"

"The shadows are my extra set of eyes."

"So like, you can see in the dark."

"Yeah, when you put it that way."

"That is so cool!"

"I would be able to tell if anyone decided to attack at night."

Bickslow smiled at her. "Alright, you can take it if you want. But if you get tired, just wake me up and I'll take it." She smiled back at him. "Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll be fine." Bickslow nodded, and continued to eat his meal in peace, Fireflye eating right next to him. Soon they were both finished, and when Bickslow turned to talk to her again, she ended up giggling. "What's up?" he asked. She looked at him, pointing to his face. "Hold still, you have food on your face." He tensed up and blushed when she reached forward, pulling her sleeve up on one arm, and wiping it away. "Ok it's gone." With that, she stood. "Time for my watch." She said, disappearing into her shadow form and skittering across the ground. Bickslow sighed, staring off. "She's awesome…" he sighed, then stood up, going to his bedroll and falling asleep.

The next morning, the party woke up, and was greeted by Fireflye when they came to. "How was everything last night Fireflye?" Bickslow asked. Fireflye shrugged. "Eh, nothing big, no attackers, so it was really peaceful, and my snakes had nothing to report." She replied. Bickslow did another fist pump. "Alright!" he cheered, sticking his tongue out. The party began to move once again. They walked for some time before they came near the area where the bandits were supposed to appear. It was like a gorge, perfect for an ambush. Fireflye leaped on top of the carriage, her green eyes narrowed as she scanned the area. It was quiet for a while, before she heard her snakes hiss, and saw both of them come out of the sky and attack the bushes on the top and on each side of the gorge. This caused some screams. "They're in the bushes!" Fireflye announced, standing up. Right when she said that, the bandits swarmed on each side. There wasn't too many of them, but if they were tough, they could prove to be quite the challenge. Fireflye outstretched her arms, summoning two more snakes. "Protect this carriage!" she commanded. The snakes hissed and attacked the bandits. Bickslow was taking out bandits with his Line Formation and Baryon Formation. They were easy to him, but they were starting to run towards the carriage. Fireflye was on top of it, her arms outstretched again. "Shadow Barrier!" she called out, a black magic circle formed on the ground around her, and a bubbled of black surrounded the carriage, sending the bandits flying. The other bandits were easy to take care of, and the remaining fled. The shadow bubble around the carriage disappeared, revealing Fireflye on top of it. "You ok Fireflye?" Bickslow called. She turned to face him. "Yeah I'm fine. You?" she asked. Bickslow smiled. "You kidding me? I'm perfect, they didn't even land a scratch on me!" Fireflye jumped down from the carriage. "Good to know!" she said. After the attempted attack, the party continued on their merry way, toward the end of their destination.


	7. Chapter 7

**Some more feels in this chapter…Enjoy Peeps!**

The rest of the trip wasn't too long. They arrived at the destination at the predicted time and place. Which also happened to be the contacts summer home. As soon as they arrive, Maximillian had given them their pay of $150,000 jewels. Now, the duo was one their way home, but it was getting late, and they needed a place to stay. Luckily, there was nearby town, since they took a different route just in case the bandits decided to attack again. They arrived at the inn just as the sun was setting, thankfully. However, luck wasn't exactly on their side. "Uh, sorry, all are joined roomed are booked. You would have to share a room." He said. Bickslow blushed a little. "Uh, that's fine." He said to the innkeeper. He smiled and handed him the keys. "How long will you be staying?" he asked. Fireflye answered this time. "Just for tonight." She replied with a sweet smile. He stared at her, which caused Bickslow to get out of his nervous state and step in front of her. "We'll be going now." He said quickly and with a glare, grabbing Fireflye's hand and dragging her up the stairs. They arrived at their room, which was fairly neat and clean. Bickslow shut the door and locked it behind them. He then turned to Fireflye with a blush. "Um I was wondering…" he began. She rose a brow at him, setting her stuff down. "Hmm?" she hummed. "I was wondering…" he rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "C-Can I sl-sleep with you again, t-tonight?" he asked nervously, his face as red as a tomato. Fireflye laughed at the look on his face, before moving closer. "Yeah, that's fine." He breathed, relieved. "Ok…" he said. She moved closer to him. "But on one condition."

"Uh, what?"

She gave an impish smile, then spoke again. "This," she tapped his helmet. "Has to come off." He stared at her. "I think you look good without it on." She said honestly. He laughed and smiled at her. "You're awesome, you know that?" he said again, his tongue sticking out. It wasn't long until both of them were in the really large bed. Fireflye was facing away from him, fast asleep. His arm was around her waist, pulling her a bit closer to him, so his face was on her neck. Bickslow was still awake, and he gently stroked her back with his hand. He wanted to know what her nightmares were about, and why they scared her so much. He wouldn't press it, but the next chance he got, and if he remembered, he would ask her. He then closed his green eyes and fell asleep.

The next morning, the two continued their trip home. It was then Bickslow decided to ask her. "Fireflye, what are your nightmares about?" he asked. She stopped in her tracks, her head looking down, making her hat cover face. She stayed silent for a moment, before she spoke again. "Some bad things happened when I was a kid Bickslow. They've been stuck in my head on replay ever since. That's all." She explained, her voice was sad. Bickslow looked down. "Well, if you ever want to talk about it…" he began, but she looked up, her normal cheerful look on her face. "It's alright Bickslow, I'm doing much better now, thanks to you." She said, smiling. He smiled back, and they continued their walk, but Bickslow still worried, even when they got back to the guild hall. Of course, they were greeted by friends, and MiraJane walked up to them. "Congratulations on a job well done!" she said. "He also put in a good word, especially for Fireflye." Fireflye's cheerful demeanor immediately melted away. "That bastard can burn in hell." She growled, her face twisted into some poisonous anger. The other's backed away quickly, like she was bomb about to go off. "Holy crap! She's probably just as scary as Erza!" Natsu said. Fireflye sighed. "Sorry, just wound up I guess. Though what I said was true." Bickslow jumped in. "That man was a complete pig! He kept makin moves on Fireflye!" The guild gasped, and Erza shook her head. "I would've punched him." She said. Fireflye chuckled. "Please, I stabbed his foot." Bickslow gawked at her. "When did you do that?!" he asked, his tongue sticking out. Fireflye winked at him. "When grabbed my hand asking me to go into the carriage, I sent a little shadow to prick him in the foot. And it worked." Bickslow smiled at her. "So that's why he yelped. You're just so awesome!" Fireflye blushed at him, he'd been calling her that a lot recently, but she didn't mind it. In fact, she was looking forward to tonight.

**Oh! What's Fireflye gonna do!? Find out in the next chapter! See ya then Peeps!**


	8. Chapter 8

**This chapter is going to be very cute! I hope you enjoy! And I'm sorry for not updating earlier. I've been very busy with school, and my family and I are trying to sell our house, so it's been very stressful. Anyway, on to the story!**

Bickslow and Fireflye arrived at their shared home. The sun was setting in the distance, painting the surrounding buildings and roads red and orange. Like always, Fireflye entered first. When they were both in, the shadow mage turned to the other. "I had fun going on a mission with you. It was…a new experience." She said. Bickslow smiled at her. "Yeah, I had fun too! I wouldn't mind going on another one with you!"

"That'd be great!"

Bickslow smiled at her. _Maybe I can talk Laxus into allowing her to join the Thunder Legion…_ he thought cheerfully. He frowned a bit. "I hated what our client did to you though." He said. Fireflye tilted her head, thinking for a moment before the thought dawned on her. "Oh, don't worry about it Bickslow!" she stood up, waving her hands back and forth and blushing slightly. "I had to deal with men like that all the time in my old home!" she explained. "It's no big deal, really!" Bickslow still frowned. "It doesn't mean its right." He explained. She looked down. "I know but…" she began. "I didn't want to screw up and lose the job! We both needed that money, and I just didn't want to screw up for both of us!" Bickslow stared at her, before he smiled. "I understand, well if you want, I'll join you on another mission." He said. Fireflye smiled at him, looking a bit relieved that he understood. "That sounds nice, but are you sure it's ok? I know you're with the Thunder Legion, and I don't always want to steal you away from them."

"Yeah, I'll talk to Laxus about it."

"Thanks so much, for everything!"

Bickslow blushed a little. She was really cute when she wanted to be. After their little conversation, the two mages retired to their rooms. When it was late, Bickslow had changed into his sleep wear, and fell asleep. A few hours later, he felt something crawl into his bed, and rest on his chest. "Wha…? Fireflye…?" he muttered groggily. Fireflye had crawled into his bed, and clutched to him. "Please don't take this the wrong way, but the nightmares don't come if I'm with you…" She nuzzled her head into his chest, making him blush yet again. Then he smiled, and wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her closer. "Not a problem at all…" he murmured. Unknown to both of them, a shadow stood on a rooftop outside of their shared home. His red eye's glowed in the dark. "So, this is where you've been, little snake." He smirked. "Joined a cute guild have you? Let's see how long that will last…" he gave a dark chuckle. "…When I'm through with you."

The next morning, Fireflye had woken up before Bickslow. She found that she was on her side, his arm around her, and pulling her close. It almost appeared protective. She smiled and blushed a little, before she carefully unwrapped herself from his arms. She changed in her own room, then walked down to the living room, and towards the kitchen. Grabbing a glass, she began to fill it with water, before she stiffened. And looked out the window. _I swore something was watching me…_ she thought. She then took a look around, then looked out the window again. Closing her eyes, she opened them again, but something had changed about her. Her eyes were no longer round and cheerful. They seemed strict and narrower, but that was not the most disturbing thing.

Her pupils were slitted like a snake.

Her pupils grew thin, and she concentrated on the shadows. _I know you're there…leave this place!_ She hissed in her mind. Her reply was soft, yet menacing laughter, then all went silent. When all seemed good, her eyes went back to their normal slitted state. She sighed, continuing to fill up her glass, when she nearly jumped from the voice behind her.

"Fireflye?"

Fireflye let out a squeak, nearly dropping the glass but catching it quickly. "Bickslow!" she gasped, her eye's looking normal again. "You startled me!" He began to laugh. "I don't know why."

"I guess that's my fault, I was reminiscing."

"Remi-what?"

"Thinking back on the past."

"Oh."

He walked up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Is everything ok?" he asked. Fireflye threw him her normal cheerful smile. "Everything's perfect! I've had another good night's sleep." He smiled at her. "That's great! I'm glad you're feeling better." He walked to the door. "I'll wait here until you're-"

"Done!"

Fireflye darted past him. "Race ya!" Bickslow went stumbling after her, telling her that it wasn't fair and he was going to beat her to the guild. However, despite her cheerful demeanor, her mind was still on alert from the unseen trespasser.

Bickslow had won the race, and he stomped into the Hall with pride and a smug smile plastered on his face. However, it was soon washed away when Makarov called him to his office. "Close the door Bickslow." He said, his tone serious. Bickslow did as he was told, before he turned to Makarov. "Master, is something wrong?" Makarov turned to him, clasping his hands together. "Keep your guard up."

"Keep my guard up? Why?"

"Fireflye may not be what she appears to be."

"W-What?"

Bickslow stumbled back. "What? How could you say that, she's a member of the guild!" Makarov put his hand up to silence Bickslow. "I'm aware of that Bickslow." He explained. "However, I believe that she is hiding something, and it's important." Bickslow was beginning to get angry. He crossed his arms. "I don't believe that at all! What has she done to question our trust in her?" Makarov stood up with great force. "Bickslow she's only been here for at least two days, and has she ever delved into her past? I don't see why you're so protective of her all of a sudden unless…" His eye's widened. "…You like her!" Bickslow took a startling step back, a massive blush on his face. He looked down and crossed his arms. Makarov flopped back down, his face completely stunned. "Does she know?" Bickslow shook his head. Makarov sighed, putting a hand to his forehead. "This makes matters much more-"

"Guild Master! Someone is attacking our guild!"

Mirajane burst into the office. "He just took down Jet and Wallace!" Immediately, the two followed the younger girl out. Standing outside was half of the guild. In front of them was a man with black hair. He wore a black t-shirt and a long brown jacket. His pants were black, but at the end were red belts tied to them, and he wore black boots. His face was twisted into a smirk, but his eyes were blood red. "So this is Fairy Tail? Are you all full of weak members?" he challenged. "Maybe we can play nice now." He held his head high and stared down the master. "Where is Fireflye?"


	9. Chapter 9

**Stuff is going down in this chapter!**

**Natsu: Alright! I'm all-**

**Me: -pushes away- Shush, you're not fighting.**

**Natsu: Aw.**

**Anyway! You'll get to see Fireflye's really big secret and amazing power. Also! I'm very sorry for not updating much sooner. I've been extremely busy with school and things at home, I'm trying to move, but no one wants to buy my house! And I've been darting in and out of the house for a few months! Alright now that that's over with, enjoy the chapter!**

Bickslow growled and stepped forward. "What's it to you?" he demanded. The stranger gave a smug smirk at Bickslow. "Was I talking to you, dog?" he demanded, causing Bickslow to approach him. However, Makarov stopped him. "Not now Bickslow." He murmured, then looked back at the other man. "What business do you have with one of our members that causes you to take out others who are not involved in whatever conflict you have with her?" he asked. The stranger laughed. "We go way back, we have a bit of history so to say. Now I'll ask again." He took a menacing step forward. "I'll go with a nicer approach. Where the Hell is the witch called Fireflye?" This made Bickslow get angrier, and he took another step forward, before he heard a voice behind him.

"Rutilus!"

It was none other than Fireflye. She walked to him, the guild members parting as she did so. Bickslow reached out to grab her, but Makarov pulled him back, shaking his head. The stranger, Rutilus, smiled. "Ah, there she is, the life of the party." He chuckled, his red eyes glinting. Fireflye, however, kept a serious look. "What do you want Rutilus?" she demanded.

"I've come to bring you back home."

"I'm not going back."

"Which is why I came."

"To force me?"

"Yes! Why aren't you a smart girl?"

"You can tell Hawk that I'm not going back."

"I'm afraid that's not an option. Actually, the only option is you coming back."

"That's not an option for me either. You'll have to knock me out and bind me if you want to get me back in that hellhole."

Rutilus laughed, a dark deep laugh. "This is just what I was hoping for, a challenge." He straightened himself up, then began circling Fireflye. "Tell me, Fire dear, have you told your _friends_ your little secret? It's what you're supposed to do, right?" Fireflye cringed and looked down. Bickslow had a look of worry on his face. "Fireflye, what's he talking about?" She stayed silent and kept her back turned to them. This made Rutilus crueler. "Oh ho! So she hasn't told her said friends. Oh I was hoping for this. Tell them! Tell them about the monster you are!" he encouraged, circling around her like a hyena. Fireflye refused to budge, and this angered Rutilus. "I said show them!" he screeched, throwing a punch at her, which she dodged with skill, doing a couple of backflips. "There is no escaping this this time Fireflye!" he yelled. "You're cornered, and there is no way for you to hide it anymore! Show them! Show them Fireflye!" The guild made a move to help her, but she threw her hand out, and a large wall of shadow stopped them, then died down. "Stay back!" she screeched. This caused Bickslow to freeze. It didn't sound like Fireflye anymore, it sounded more bestial. Her shoulders began to shake, and some tears fell down her face, before she looked up, a smile on her face despite the tears. "I'm sorry…" she whimpered, before she completely engulfed herself in shadow. The guild backed away under the intensity of the shadows. The column seemed to grow bigger before it disappeared. However, the same Fireflye was not there. Bickslow's eyes widened in surprise. "F-Fireflye…" he said, he voice seeming broken and hurt. Fireflye stood there, but her look had completely changed. Her hair was short and spikey, the spikes pointing everywhere, her hat now gone. Her torso was a black shirt that wrapped around her neck, exposing her shoulders. Long black and orange gloves went from her middle finger to her elbows. Her legs were completely gone, only replaced with a large black snake tail! Her eyes were still green, but the pupils were in the shape of a snakes. Her gaze was a burning glare, and she leaned forward, opening her mouth, showing a forked tongue and long, thin canines like a snake. She let out a large hiss, before straightening up again.

Rutilus began to laugh again. "And now she show's her true colors! Your beloved guild member, is none other than a Naga! Deceiving you all!" he laughed manically. This caused Fireflye to hiss, before darting at him with incredible speed, her long nails scratching at him. Four familiars came to her aid, and she placed magical circles on the ground. Rutilus dodged her long nails, and two of her familiars, however, one latched onto his shoulder, and the other on his leg. He let out a cry, and stood on one of the magic circles, causing a large spike of shadow to hit him. He was sent sailing, then tumbling on the ground. "Careful watch you say, Rutilus, it could get you killed." Fireflye hissed, approaching him, her snake features slithering across the ground. He began to scrabble away from her on the ground. "Wait Fireflye, let's not be too hasty-" he was cut off when Fireflye flew at him again, her Shadow Claws forming on her hands, and clones of shadow coming out of the ground to help her. He dodged her again, but yet again her clones struck him down, and she moved her finger in a swirling motion, summoning a small cone of shadow, sending it towards him at incredibly speed. It hit him again, sending him flying into a wall. Much to her disappointment, he didn't break through the wall, only crack it. His nose was bleeding badly, and he had a massive cut on the side of his head, not to mention scrapes and bruises all over him. "I should kill you…" Fireflye hissed as she slithered over to him. His reply was maniacal laughter. He suddenly appeared behind her, giving her a quick punch, before running then running into a red portal. Fireflye huffed as he hit her, then looked wildly around her, finding the next area he would approach. However, he came out another portal, rushing out her again, before he opened many portals, then darted out of each portal at extreme speed. She screamed, for in his hands were two red daggers, slashing at her with each pass. When he was finished, she slumped to the ground, blood dripping from her many cuts. What clothes she had were torn, shreds of it around her on the ground. Her breathing was ragged, and she coughed as she struggled to get up. Rutilus laughed as he approached her with his blades. "Well, my dear Fireflye, there was another option…" he chuckled, stopping in front of her. "…I have permission to kill you." He raised one blade above his head. "Say goodbye!" he laughed, bringing the blade down. Fireflye squeezed her eyes shut, but the dagger never met its mark. A large explosion replaced it, only hitting Rutilus. He cried out, back up a few paces. Fireflye opened her eyes, only to see a different person standing in front of her, his back to her.

Bickslow.

"You leave her alone! I won't let you hurt a member of Fairy Tail!" He said. The Thunder Legion, Natsu, Gray, Erza, Lucy and the rest of the guild stood in front of Fireflye. Makarov spoke next. "She may have hidden this secret from us, but we will not watch her die! She is a part of the guild, a part of our family. Nothing will ever change that." He glared at the man. "Now, leave this place, or suffer the consequences!" Rutilus gave him a poisonous glare, before standing up, summoning a portal, and limping through it. Once he left, the guild turned to look at Fireflye. She was still in her new form, and still trying to get up, but fell once again to the ground. Bickslow quickly ran forward and held her up. Her form dissipated to reveal her original form, but she was still tore up pretty badly. Her shoulders shook, and tears ran down her face. She sniffled. "I'm sorry…." She whimpered, before saying it a bit louder.

"I'm sorry!"

**Alright so a little Authors Note:**

**A Naga is a humanoid snake beast in case you didn't know.**

**Rutilus is Latin for a ruddy red color. Perfect for his eyes!**

**I hoped you enjoyed this chapter peeps! I'll work on the next one soon!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Alright, the Fireflye's whole story will be revealed here!**

After her tears had stopped, Fireflye had been taken care of inside the guild hall. Bickslow stayed by her side the whole time, he even carried her into the hall. The whole room was silent as MiraJane cared for her. When she was finished, she moved away, and Makarov stepped forward. "Fireflye, please explain to us what just happened. We need to know." Fireflye seemed scared and she hugged herself protectively. Bickslow wrapped an arm around her, rubbing her arm comfortingly. Finally she spoke. "Alright, but this story isn't too pleasant, and long."

"I came from a village in the far south of EarthLand. My family came from a long line of Dark mages, mages who use darker elements such as shadow, invisibility, and poison. The first mage who created the clan, was extremely powerful. He used his dark magic for good, saving people from unfortunate events.

He fell in love with a village girl, and the clan was born. He took in orphans and young adults with no home or living relatives. He trained them in their magic, making the clan bigger. However, as time wore on, other clans grew, jealous of my clan's power. One clan, known as the Kitsune Clan, had grown extremely powerful. When the master of my clan, which was then established as the Hebi Clan, went away on a long mission, members of the Kitsune Clan ambushed the home, killing many of the members, and the master's wife. When the mast came home, he was full of grief and outrage. He felt that his line would end there. An old woman came to him then, and struck a deal. She would give him power to take vengeance on the Kitsune Clan. However, he'll have to pay her with jewels in return.

Immediately, the master agreed to this. The witch gave him the power to transform into a snake-like beast, the Naga, with massive magical and physical power. This power gave him blinding speed, and enough power to level a large village. With the new power, the master and survivors of the ambush attacked the Kitsune Clan as they slept. He wiped out the master's line, and the master himself, to take vengeance for his late wife. When they returned, they celebrated their victory, then mourned and buried the dead. A few days later, the old woman returned, however, the sum of money she wanted was too much, and the master did not have enough. The woman, feeling cheated, gave a fit of rage, and cursed the master and all of the members with the Naga power. She said that his whole line would be full of Naga's, befitting for the master of the Hebi Clan. She said that as long as his line went on, they would have the curse of the snake. With that, she disappeared.

At first, the curse didn't seem all that powerful, it allowed them to keep their Naga forms and power. Until one day, one member fell on the ground, clutching at his chest and screaming. Soon, a large black snake with his heart in its mouth, popped out of his chest, killing the member. The curse makes a magical snake wrap around the heart. Depending on the person's personality, and the choices they make in life, the snake will kill them however it sees fit. And now the curse lives with me."

She fell silent after she was done telling her story. Bickslow's hand balled into a fist, his knuckles turning white. "Is there a way to get rid of it?" he demanded. Fireflye shook her head. "I've searched all over my homeland, but I didn't find anything there. I decided to join a guild to see if I could find any other information, but so far…" she swallowed and looked down. Makarov stood up on a chair and put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry Fireflye, we might have a friend who can help you." Fireflye's eyes lit up, and she smiled a little. Makarov hopped down and looked at Natsu. "Natsu! We're going to Polyusca!"

Fireflye, Makarov, Bickslow, and Lucy walked toward Polyusca's hut. She was outside, sweeping the porch with her broom. She looked up and glared at them at first, before her eye's widened at the sight of Fireflye. "You're a daughter of the Hebi Clan, an ancient and cursed clan…" she accessed. Fireflye nodded and looked down. "Quickly come in." The party did so, and Polyusca set Fireflye down on the bed inside. She then turned and began to flip through a book. "Ah, here it is. The Judgement Familiar Curse." Fireflye tilted her head. "Judgement Familiar? So it's a familiar…?" she asked. Polyusca nodded. "This is a very dangerous curse. It's hard to remove too…" Fireflye straightened up. "But it can be removed right?" Polyusca turned back to her, her red eye's glinting. "I did just say that didn't I? Listen!" she scolded. Fireflye blushed and looked down. "Sorry…" she muttered. Turning back to her book, Polyusca looked at the ingredients. "Unfortunately, I don't have these ingredients with me at the moment. I will have to make a one month trip." She turned back to Fireflye and the rest of the party. "Come back in one month, or I'll send for you. I should have the ingredients ready by then."

They thanked the secluded healer and began to leave the forest. Lucy hugged Fireflye's arm. "Isn't this great Fireflye? You'll have that curse out of you in no time flat!" she said excitedly. Fireflye was about to say something, before she grunted and fell to the ground. "Fireflye!" Lucy called, kneeling down beside her, gently shaking her. Bickslow came running over. "What happened?"

"I-I don't know! She just passed out!"

"What?"

He knelt down beside her as well, gently shaking her, before Makarov approached. "It seems that her Naga form also drains her magical power. She needs a lot of rest." Bickslow nodded and picked her up. "I'll take her home, I think I'll stay with her today." Makarov nodded, allowing Bickslow to take her home.

**Alright some definitions:**

**Hebi is Japanese for Snake**

**Kitsune is Japanese for Fox**

**What will happen to Fireflye in a month? Wait for the next chapter and find out!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Alright, more cuteness in this chapter! I can't wait to see how this ends! That's right, I don't even know how it ends! Enjoy Peeps!**

Bickslow carried Fireflye into his room, gently setting her on the bed and pulling the covers up to her. He then sat down right next to her, watching her sleeping form. He was silent for a moment, before he spoke. "I'll figure out how to get rid of this curse on you Fireflye." He murmured. Reaching forward, he gently grabbed her hand, and squeezed it. "I promise." He then leaned down and kissed her temple softly, before getting back up and leaving. He came back quickly with a glass of water, just in case she was thirsty when she woke up. Taking a seat, he waited, until his own body succumbed to sleep.

Fireflye woke sleepily, before her eye's widened in alarm. She had no idea where she was. She was about to leap out of the bed, before she saw Bickslow's sleeping form. His body slumped to the right, and his head hanging low. He snored softly, and she chuckled softly. That's when she figured out where she was. Taking a deep sigh, she noticed the glass of water beside her, and she took it, drinking slowly from it. _Wow I feel so drained. I haven't been in the Naga form for that long. _She thought, setting the glass and frowning. _Then again, I've never taken that many hits in that form either. _At the thought of Rutilus's attacks, her body ached, and she rolled her shoulders, popping them quietly. When she was about to flop back onto the bed, she felt strong arms wrap around her. Bickslow had woken up, and was hugging her from behind. "Bickslow?" she murmured, looking at him. Bickslow smiled a little. "I was a little worried." He explained.

"Thanks for taking me back here."

"It's no problem."

He blushed a little, before covering for it by sticking his tongue out and giving his normal goofy grin. "I'm glad you're ok! I didn't know you were so powerful." Fireflye's eye's widened. "You think I'm powerful?" she asked. He nodded. "Yeah, if it turns out you were holding back when you first came here, Natsu might ask for a rematch." Fireflye laughed. He laughed alongside her, however, his arms never unwrapped around her. After they had stopped laughing, Fireflye blushed a little. "Um, Bickslow? I was wondering…" he tilted his head, his reply a hum. "Hm?" Fireflye cleared her throat. "I was wondering if I could sleep with you again tonight." Her face turned as red as a tomato, but Bickslow didn't mind, he thought she looked cute when she blushed. He smiled widely, his tongue coming out again. "Yeah, I don't mind at all! I'm totally fine with it!" His expression turned a bit more serious. "What are your nightmares about?" he asked quietly. "I mean, it's ok if you don't want to tell me, but if it makes you feel better…" Fireflye stiffened and looked down, thinking on it. It was a few moments before she spoke. "The nightmares are about my time at the Dark Guild that I joined before I deserted it."

Bickslow's jaw dropped. "Dark Guild?!" he exclaimed. Fireflye nodded ashamedly. "Yeah, I was forced into it. I did terrible things, and the leader, Hawk, was absolutely terrible." She explained. "So when I got the chance to leave, I did." She turned her head to look at him. "That's why Rutilus was here today." Bickslow nodded, piecing things together. "So Rutilus was trying to bring you back." He murmured, and Fireflye nodding in response. Bickslow hummed, thinking a little, and resting his head on her shoulder, without even realizing it. Fireflye blushed a little, but she didn't mind the gesture at all. Fireflye looked around the room. "It got late, didn't it?" she asked. Bickslow nodded, and chuckled when Fireflye let out a small yawn. "Still tired?"

"Yeah, that fight today really wiped me out."

"Well, I'm a little tired too."

He wrapped one arm around her waist, and pulled her down with him, so they were facing each other on their sides. He pulled the covers up, but put his arm back on her waist. She blushed again, but then smiled. "Ah, but on one condition…" she reached forward, and gently removed his mask and hood. "There, much better." She said. Bickslow stared at her, a little in shock before smiling again. "You're probably the first person in a long time who actually likes how I look."

"Hey, I'm a bit different too!"

"Alright, well you have to do something for me too."

"And what is that?"

"Show me your eyes."

Fireflye tilted her head. "Um, what?" Bickslow shook his head and did a small face palm. "I'm sorry, I wanted to see your snake eyes." Fireflye blinked. "How did you know I could do that?" Bickslow looked up a bit shyly. "I kinda saw you do it in the kitchen the other day…" It was Fireflye's turn to facepalm. "Oh dear caught in the act! But if you want." She looked at him before closing her eye's slowly, then opening them just as slow, revealing the snake-like pupils. "That, is awesome." Bickslow said, moving a bit closer, studying her eyes. "Do you see differently?"

"Sort of, I see through objects."

"So if I was on the other side of the wall, you could see me?"

"Yep! That's right!"

"That is so freaking awesome!"

Fireflye kept her eye's like that a little bit more, before she let out a hiss of pain, and closed her eyes, her hand going to her head. "What's wrong?" Bickslow asked. "Nothing, I just get a headache if I keep it for too long." She explained. He nodded and pulled her a bit closer to him, resting his head on top of hers, and his arm wrapping around her waist. "Goodnight Fireflye." He murmured. Fireflye blushed brightly again, before relaxing a bit, and resting her head underneath his chin. "Goodnight Bickslow." When she fell asleep, Bickslow spoke softly. "I won't let anything…"

"…Take you away."

The next morning wasn't really eventful. Well, until the two got to the guild hall. There, Natsu ambushed Fireflye. "Fireflye! We need to fight again! You held back!" he declared. Bickslow shot her a look that read "Told ya" all over it. Gajeel stood up. "Sit down you moron! She hasn't even got half-way inside the building!" He yelled, throwing a mug at Natsu. He dodged it swiftly, but the mug hit Fireflye in the face instead. "Natsu!" Bickslow yelled.

"What? Gajeel threw it!"

"Don't blame me!"

"But it's true!"

While they were fighting, Bickslow turned to look at Fireflye. "Fireflye, are you ok?" Her response was a moan as the Fireflye teetered back and forth, her eye's swirling. She spun, leaning on the wall a few times, before teetering again. "Bickslow do you have four other twins?" she asked, giving an awkward smile. "Wow, you all look alike…." She spun around a bit more, Bickslow trying to set her straight, and laughing at the same time.

Today will be a good day.


	12. Chapter 12

**I'm sorry I've been gone for so long! My tablet died because of a broken charger, so I had to wait two weeks for that, and I've been extremely busy with school and things outside of school! Now, without further ado, let's continue the story!**

When Fireflye came to, she found that she was in Bickslow's home. More specifically, his room.

In his bed.

At first, she was confused, until she saw Bickslow sleeping in a chair across the room. He was sleeping deeply, a soft snore coming out of him, and his tongue hanging out a little bit. It appeared that he had changed out of his uniform and into some casual wear. That meant that his helmet was off. Fireflye giggled softly, careful not to disturb him, before she looked outside. The sun was already setting, and she sighed, lifting a hand to her chest, over her heart. _Can they really cure this? _She thought worriedly. As if responding to the thought, she thought she felt the snake coiling around her heart. _I guess I can't think about it right now. I should focus on the Guild, the missions, and my friends. _Her eye's wandered back to Bickslow. _Especially him. _On cue, Bickslow woke up. "Fireflye!" He cried, nearly flying onto the bed over to her. "Are you alright? How do you feel?" he pressed. Fireflye laughed. "I'm fine, really. I guess I was just a bit tired." Bickslow looked like he was about to pass out in relief, and he put an arm around her shoulder, and pulled her closer to him. It felt comforting. "That's good, I was really worried." He said. Fireflye nodded, moving closer to him as well. _Yeah, I'll worry about this later. Right now, I just want to live this moment._

The next day, the duo was nearing the guild, both in their regular uniforms. Fireflye seemed especially rejuvenated, and brighter than ever. As they walked in, Natsu nearly pounced on Fireflye. "Alright, c'mon! We have to rematch! You didn't use all your power on me the first time, now I want a rematch!" Fireflye blinked.

"Are you sure that's a great idea?"

"Sure I'm sure!"

"Are you positive?"

"I'm positive you're powerful!"

Fireflye threw a glance at Bickslow, then sighed, a twisted smirk coming to her face as she faced Natsu. "Alright, I accept your challenge." Natsu leaped for joy. "Alright! I'm all fired up now!" With that, he took off to their training area. Fireflye swiftly followed. Like the first day she arrived, others began to follow them out of curiosity to see what her real powers were. Once they were both at each side of the ground, Natsu began his attack. He charged at her with extreme speed. However, Fireflye became completely covered in a column of shadow, the mere power of it knocked Natsu back. While getting his bearings, the column dissipated, revealing Fireflye in her Naga form. She held a twisted smile, opening her mouth to let a slender forked tongue flicker out, much like a snake. "Give it your best shot!" Fireflye taunted, adding a little snake-like lisp to it. At once, Natsu came at her, his fist's coming alive with fire. He began to throw punches at her, but she swiftly dodged them, before her fingers turned into claws of shadow, and began her own flurry of attacks. Natsu seemed to dodge them without a problem, but her attacks were becoming gradually faster, and it wasn't long until she gave him a few scratches. Doing a couple of backflips, Natsu gained distance away from her. "Fire Dragon…" he began, putting his fists up to his mouth. "…Roar!" he yelled, unleashing a flamethrower. "Shadow Shield!" Fireflye commanded, lifting her hands up, before bringing them down, enclosing herself in an orb of shadow. The fire hit hard enough to make the shield crack. It seemed to be getting stronger, and Fireflye growled as it began to crack some more. Finally, it shattered, creating a massive smoke screen. Natsu began to walk through the cloud where Fireflye was standing, only to find that she wasn't there! His eye's widened as he looked around, before he felt a force tug at the collar of his shirt. "Oh not again!" he whined, just as he was being dragged against the ground, then thrown across the room. Fireflye let out some wicked laughter, then appeared in a shadowy form in front of him, moving at blinding speed and attacking him in different areas. With each hit, Natsu's attack began to get sloppier. "C'mon Natsu! What's wrong with you?" Lucy called from the stands. Natsu stumbled, trying to stay up. "I don't know…I can't feel my arms!" he replied. Everyone gasped, before Fireflye appeared again, laughing mischievously. "I not only know magic, but anatomy too!" she declared. "In other words, I just hit all your pressure points." Natsu gasped, before growling, and charging at her. Her tongue flicked out, and she charged at him. Since Natsu couldn't lift his arms, Fireflye reached up with her claw, and backhanded him, to prevent from injuring him too much. As she attacked again, it appeared that she was slower, and her attacks were sloppy. If it wasn't her body that was showing it, it was her face. Her eyes drooped, and she panted heavily, sweat beading on the side of her head. Even the audience realized this. Eventually, she had to stop, her snake-like form wearing away, revealing her original form. She gave a short gasp, before falling forward, catching herself with her hands, before falling on her side. Natsu immediately crawled to her. "Fireflye, are you alright?" Her breathing was heavy, and her eyes were so blurry, that she could only see him, and not the many people who had leapt from the side to help her. She shook her head. "Tired…." She muttered, before closing her eyes.

When Fireflye came to, she found herself still in the guild hall. Bickslow, Natsu, Gray, Wendy, and Lucy were around her. She gave a small cough. "Guys?" she asked, wincing as she tried to sit up. "Don't get up too fast! I don't know if there is anything I missed…" Wendy began. Fireflye smiled. "Thanks for fixing me up." Wendy smiled and nodded. Bickslow sighed with relief, before he frowned. "What happened back there?" Everyone else murmured their questions as well. That's when Fireflye's eye's widened in fear, and she looked down at her hands. "I…I don't know…" She looked back at Bickslow. "That's the first time that's happened."

**Oh dear! Could this be a side effect of Fireflye's curse? Is her fighting speeding it up? Who knows? Let's hope Polyusca will be able to fix up that cure in no time! I hope you guys liked this chapter!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Alright, I have a feeling that this will be ending soon. But don't worry, I'm not going to make you cry. AND Bickslow will confess to her, ALRIGHT?!**

**Now that I got that out of the way….Let's begin.**

A few more weeks had passed, and the day when Polyusca's cure was supposed to be complete was coming soon. Fireflye had been taking it easy the past few weeks. Everyone saw that she seemed to be getting weaker in magical power. She was also easily tired, making missions harder for her, even if they were easy. Bickslow was gradually concerned, and was nearly on the edge, just trying to figure out ways to make her better. Despite her condition, Fireflye always kept a cheerful personality, like nothing was happening. Bickslow even learned that he did love Fireflye. Evergreen's teasing made him realize it. She had begun her revenge after Bickslow had constantly teased her about Elfman, and it didn't take long for him to realize it. So he decided, that tonight would be the night that he would tell her. He didn't want to wait any longer, just in case something happened. The night was nice and a gentle breeze caressed their clothes. Bickslow and Fireflye decided to go on a nice walk in the night. His plan was to tell her in the park. She of course, seemed cheerful, and didn't look as though she suspected something, so he was in a good mood. Fireflye smiled at him. "You look cheerful. Are you trying to steal my personality?" she teased. Bickslow smiled, his tongue sticking out. "Why? Are you getting jealous?" Fireflye laughed at the counter. She looked around, noticing that he didn't have his little totems with him. She shrugged, not really concerned, but still wondering what he was doing without them. Finally, they arrived at the park, and Bickslow turned to face her. "Fireflye…can I tell you something?" He asked, a light blush coming to his face, out of nervousness and embarrassment. Fireflye smiled and nodded. "Sure!"

"Ok…well…u-um…"

_This is harder than I thought…._ He thought. Finally he took a deep breath, and started over. "Fireflye…ever since you came here, you spun my world around. You're awesome, powerful, beautiful, kind, funny, and smart." He blushed again. "So I was wondering…Would you, like to be my girlfriend?" he asked. Fireflye's eye's widened, before she smiled. "Bickslow I feel the same way about you. You completely stole my heart." She explained. "I would love to be your girlfriend." Bickslow grinned widely, before wrapping his arms around her waist, and spinning her around. He stopped suddenly, and she kissed him on the lips sweetly. He kissed her back and set her on the ground. When they pulled away, he rested his head on top of hers, nuzzling her hair and pulling her close. "I love you Fireflye." He murmured. Fireflye rested her head on his chest. "I love you too Bickslow." After their little moment, which seemed to last forever, the couple walked home, hand in hand.

The next day, Makarov called Fireflye to his office. "Don't worry Fireflye, you're not in trouble." He said when she walked in. She nearly fell over in relief, causing him to laugh. "Actually I just wanted to ask you something." Fireflye nodded, and sat down in one of the chairs. "It's about who attacked you. Tell me, who is Hawk?" Fireflye's gaze suddenly turned serious, then sad. "Hawk is a leader of a Dark Guild in the South." She explained. "Because of my certain magic, he wanted me to be a part of it. However I refused, which happened to be a large mistake for me. Apparently he wouldn't take no for an answer, and I've been running from him ever since." When she finished her story, Makarov stayed silent, thinking over her story, before smiling and standing up. "Thank you very much Fireflye that was all I needed to know. You can leave." Fireflye smiled, stood up, and left. Bickslow was waiting for her when she came out. "What did he want?" he asked. Fireflye smiled. "He just wanted to know about that guy who attacked me earlier. No big deal." Bickslow nodded as the two walked off.

As the days passed, the day finally came to where Polyusca's cure was finally ready. As Fireflye approached her forest home. Fireflye hesitated, and Bickslow, who came with her, squeezed her hand gently and comfortingly. "You can do it." He murmured, encouraging her. Fireflye smiled a little, before taking a large sigh, and walking in.

**Aaaaannnnnndddd CLIFFHANGER! What shall happen next? See you in the next chapter peeps! And I'm so sorry it's so short!**


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